LEADERSHIP

This is a very perceptive and unusual approach to the business of leadership. Any readers who have 'been there' will relate to the situations which are so sensitively described. It is a clever idea to approach leadership through the eyes of those that are led rather than a third party observer as is often the case in books on this subject. It should be a must for leaders to encourage them to see themselves through the eyes of the led and a good read for those mystified by the behaviour of their current leaders. The book would be an excellent basis for talks on the subject.

It takes creativity these days to come up with a new view on leadership. What differentiates Leadership: As Seen Through the Eyes of a Follower is the perspective. Don't think it's now about looking up to a leader and obeying whatever he or she commands you to do. George Vucin considers everyone as a follower of a leader at all times as well. It is as if Bob Dylan's Gotta Serve Somebody is playing in the background.

Straightforward themes like vision, motivation, acknowledgment, and recognition are addressed next to the roles of the leader and the required flexibility in leadership styles. The author chose not to elaborate all the theoretical models and popular frameworks around. In fact, no references or footnotes at all appear in Leadership, although Vucin confirms to have read libraries full in the five years that took to write this debut.

Rather than separating managers from leaders, Vucin talks about managers and social figurehead both needed, sometimes combined in one person, at other times more prevalent traits of different persons. A manager cannot perform well without social skills, and social figurehead will need their managerial skills to lead the way properly. Trust, office politics, leading virtual teams, ethics, and sources of corruption offer more content in this book than just an introduction to leadership. Well done!